STARKVILLE — Leo Lewis doesn’t care he didn’t play last year.
Lewis also doesn’t care he is one of the youngest and most inexperienced linebackers on the Mississippi State football team. He wants to play and to be a major factor at linebacker for the Bulldogs this fall.
But a positive mind-set doesn’t mean Lewis is going to realize that goal, so he is trying to make the most of spring practices and trying to impress new defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Peter Sirmon.
“You can’t take any plays off on this level,” Lewis said. “I just try to tell myself it’s all a mind thing, I need to go hard every day and give all my effort every play.”
Lewis and Tim Washington were redshirted last season as freshmen. Even though both went through practice, they were used at linebacker on the scout team that ran the opponent’s defense. This spring, Lewis and Washington are getting plenty of repetitions and are showing flashes of what they have the potential to do.
Sirmon, who came from Southern California to replace Manny Diaz, understands this is a pivotal point in the development of Lewis and Washington. He also knows both players will benefit from even more experience.
“We just have to keep manufacturing experience,” Sirmon said. “The game reps we had in the scrimmage are very, very valuable for them because no one’s on the field lining them up. They’re having to survive and make their calls and kind of fend for themselves like they would in a game. The more reps they get at that, I think they’ll continue to develop and continue showing the ability I’m excited to see.”
Lewis and Washington had interceptions Saturday in a scrimmage at Davis Wade Stadium. It was the first time they were put in a situation like that and both thrived.
MSU will have another open scrimmage at 11:30 a.m. Saturday. The team will wrap up spring practice with the Maroon and White game on Saturday, April 16. The first scrimmage helped Lewis and Washington believe they can contribute.
“We had lots of mistakes, lots of mistakes, but that pick really boosted our confidence,” Lewis said. “I’m just looking forward to getting better, me and him are looking forward to getting better. It’s a battle at that position.”
Coming out of Brookhaven High School, Lewis was the nation’s top inside linebacker prospect. The four-star recruit chose MSU over Ole Miss and LSU. He recorded 76 tackles (two for loss) as a senior and earned first-team All-America honors from USA Today and a spot on The Clarion-Ledger’s Dandy Dozen. He also played in the Under Armour All-American game.
Washington came to MSU as a four-star prospect out of Yazoo City High, the same school that produced Bulldog great and NFL defensive lineman Fletcher Cox. Also a member of The Clarion-Ledger’s Dandy Dozen, he had 50 tackles (11 for loss) and six sacks as a senior.
When both signed, Diaz was the coordinator, but he left in the offseason for a similar position at Miami. Rising senior linebacker Richie Brown, who has had four coordinators in five years, understands there will be an adjustment period for Lewis and Washington.
“I think it might be a little tougher since they’re young guys and they’re still figuring things out,” Brown said. “But I think they’re handling it pretty well. They’re doing a good job and they’re learning quick.”
Lewis doesn’t agree with Brown’s assessment because the two spent so little time with Diaz. Lewis feels like this spring is a fresh start with a new coach and that he and Washington are happy to tackle the new task.
Upperclassmen like Brown also have been crucial in the development of Lewis and Washington.
“Richie’s a very smart guy,” Lewis said. “He’s so mature to a point where you can ask him anything, you can sit down and talk to him about anything. He’s just an all-around great guy.”
Along with Brown, the Bulldogs return lettermen Kelan Chairs, J.T. Gray, Gerri Green, Dez Harris, and DeAndre Ward at linebacker. MSU lost junior starter Beniquez Brown to the NFL draft and Zach Jackson to graduation.
Brown sees a lot of potential in Lewis and Washington. Although there are a lot of new things being thrown at them, he is pleased with how they’ve handled the pressure and progressed.
“They’re getting a lot better, they’re learning the playbook,” Brown said. “As young guys, they’ve got a lot to learn and they’ve got a lot on their plate. There’s a lot of new stuff going on for them, so they’re a little excited, too, but they’re calming down and they’re doing a lot of good things.”
There’s no question Lewis and Washington will get a chance to prove themselves in the fall. Their play in the spring could go a long way in deciding how many chances they get. Lewis is practicing like a player who has played the last few seasons.
“I’m coming with it every play,” Lewis said. “I’m learning as much as I can and the main thing is to apply it when I step onto the field.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Ben Wait on Twitter @bcwait
Ben Wait reports on Mississippi State University sports for The Dispatch.
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